Improvement in wheelbarrows



7 Patented G'ct. 24,1871.

H city and county of San Francisco, State of Cali- PATENT OFFICE.,

WILLIAM MGKIBBIN, OF 'SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEELBARROWS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MOKIBBIN, of

fornia, have invented an Improved Wheelbarrow; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawing are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvements without further invention or experiment.

My improvements in wheelbarrows consist, first, in a peculiar manner of constructing the frame; secondly, in a novel construction of the bearing-wheel; and thirdly, in the construction and manner ot' mounting the box or body of the wheelbarrow so that its load will be evenly distributed' between the wheel and the arms ofthe workman, by throwing a portion ofthe load below a line drawn from the center of the wheel to the hand when the barrow is raised to be moved.

In order to more fully illustrate and explain my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing' forming a part of this specification, in whicha and b represent two metal side pieces, the extension of which forms the handles of the wheelbarrow at one end, while the wheel is supported between the opposite ends. These side pieces are set edgewise at an angle, as shown, so as to fit against the sides of the box or body c. rEhe wheel ends of these side pieces are bent downward in a semicircle as at d, and the wheel-shait c is supported in lugs f at each side. The legs g are made of narrow metal plates similar to the side pieces a and b. These plates are secured to the side pieces below the handles and bent downward so as to form the legs, or the plates which form the side pieces can be doubled upon themselves so as to form the handles, and the extremities bent down so as to form the legs, thus forming the legs and side pieces out of a single piece of metal. The legs are braced by bars i, which are also secured to and serve to support the rear end ofthebox, as shown. The wheel consists of wrought arms j, which are cast in the cast-iron hub k. The extremity of each of these arms is provided with a short tenon, w, as shown at Figs. 3 and 4. l l are simple metal plates provided with a slot, m. The tenons on the arms are entered into these slots, and the plates are xed on the inside ofthe rim or tire u by means of bolts or other suitable device, thus forming a cheap and strong wheel especially suitable for this purpose. The box or body is made with two nearly vertical sides, q, and the corresponding rear end yr. The forward end s is made sloping, so as to give the box a scoop-shaped appearance. The angle of the sides of the box is such that when the box is placed between the side bars a it will t snugly against them, its forward end being raised above the rear end and resting upon a cross-bar, t, so that when the handles have been raised to the proper height in propelling the barrow forward the lox will be level, and the weight ofthe load be equally distributed between the wheel and arms of the person propelling it.

By this means l construct an exceedingly cheap an d sub staiitialwheelbarrow. The peculiar shape of the forward end of the box renders it readily unloaded by tipping the barrow forward.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The scoop-shaped box c, mounted upon the side pieces a and b, so that when the handles are raised the box shall be level, for the purpose specified.

2. A wheelbarrow, constructed as above described--that is, having the side pieces a b, wheel j 76 Z, and scoop-shaped box c, all constructed and arranged substantially as above set forth.

In witness that the above described invention is claimed by me, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

WILLIAM MGKIBBIN. [L s] Witnesses:

GEO. H. STRONG, BENJN. C. FABRE. 

